Highest honor: Shelby veteran receives French Legion award

By Molly Phipps

Published: Friday, November 15, 2013 at 05:37 PM.

He met General Patton and boxer Joe Louis. He fought on the frontlines of skirmishes in France. He was in Normandy two days after D-Day. He interpreted aerial photographs of enemy territory, his job the difference between saving and losing hundreds of thousands of lives. He went sniper hunting — “It was a horrible thing to think about. You didn’t want to hurt them, but you didn’t want them to hurt you.” And he spent time in foxholes.

Today, Jim Taylor says it’s almost like a movie in his memory.

“It’s hard for me to believe it really happened,” he said. “I’m not a hero by any stretch of the imagination.”

The 93-year-old veteran who fought in World War II received the French Legion of Honor Medal on Nov. 11. The award, France’s highest honor, was established by Napoleon Bonaparte more than 200 years ago.

Drawing a picture lands a duty

Taylor, a Shelby resident, was part of the 83rd Infantry Division, Third Army. After his basic training at Fort Warren in Wyoming, Taylor went to Camp Atterbury in Indiana, where he took a special test that would determine his job in the military.

“It was an odd sort of test. It said ‘Draw a picture of a building,’” he said.

Taylor said he’s never been an artist, but saw a barracks outside through a window and decided to draw it. He made his drawing very detailed, counting the steps leading up to the barracks, the number of windows and doors.

“They chose me to be in the intelligence department,” he said. “I always figured it was because of that picture.”

Taylor’s job was interpreting aerial photography, a strategy the Allies were using that would prove an important factor in winning the war.

'One of the most important jobs'

Out of his entire division, Taylor was the only aerial photography interpreter. Reconnaissance planes would fly out over enemy territory, take photographs and return to division headquarters, where Taylor would pore over each one with a magnifying glass.

“A plane would fly in and leave me a big pile of photographs. It’d be in 3-D,” he said.

On each photo was stamped the altitude of the plane; from that, Taylor would calculate the size of vehicles, and tell whether they were tanks, personnel carriers or trucks.

“That was my job was to see what the enemy had in that area, so the commanding officers would know what was coming,” he said. “Being in division headquarters, I was able to see our commanding officer and his aides sit down and plot the moves the division would make. It was interesting to see how it was done.”

The general in charge of their division, General Patton, would visit headquarters from time to time.

“I used to see him when he’d come down and visit. He told me one time, ‘You have one of the most important jobs in this division. If you make a mistake, hundreds of thousands of lives could be lost. If you get it right, hundreds of thousands of lives could be saved,’” said Taylor.

'I enjoyed the Army but I hated the war'

Though his job was at headquarters, Taylor wasn’t always out of danger.

“A few times, I had to go into enemy territory at night,” he said.

He was told if he got caught, the Germans would consider him a spy.

“They’d get what they could out of you and shoot you,” he said.

Taylor never saw the end of the war in Europe, since he was wounded in Luxembourg. He rode a train to a hospital in Paris, and on the journey, met two other Shelby residents.

One man told him, "I'm from a little town called Shelby." Taylor responded, "The heck you are!" As it turned out, the two were even from the same street: South Martin.

The train ride was terrible, Taylor said, "but we’d been through a lot worse than that."

His summary of the experience?

“I enjoyed the Army, but I hated the war,” he said.

'He is a hero'

Despite the horror, Taylor said the French people's appreciation was rewarding.

“We’d be going through those little French towns, liberating them,” he said. “They would line the streets, throwing flowers, blowing kisses. Sometimes a French girl would come up and kiss you.”

That was one of his favorite parts.

For his service during World War II, Taylor has been honored with numerous medals. He received the Sharp Shooter Badge with the Carbine Rifle Bar, a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Bronze Stars, a World War II Victory Medal, an American Campaign Medal, and a Good Conduct Medal.

The French Legion Award, he said, was unexpected.

“When I got the letter that I was gonna be awarded, I was stunned by it,” he said.

Taylor said he isn’t a hero, that the medal is more than he deserves.

“Of the thousands of soldiers that fought in World War II, for me to be one of the ones that was selected, it was very humbling,” he said.

At Monday’s ceremony, he was impressed with the sincerity of Denis Barbet, France's Consul General from Atlanta, Ga.

“The French are very expressive. He could’ve just sent somebody from his office, but for the consul to come, I was impressed,” said Taylor.

Alice Harrill said the French Legion of Honor Medal is a way to keep alive the memory of what Americans like her father did to help liberate France.

“I am so proud my dad was recognized for his part to restore freedom in that region of the world,” Harrill said. “Although he doesn’t admit this—he is a hero.”

What is the French Legion of Honor Medal?

-It is France’s highest distinction.

-It was created by Napoleon Bonaparte to honor extraordinary contributions to the country of France.

-Only a small number of medals are awarded each year in the U.S.

-Those selected are appointed to the rank of Knight of the Legion of Honor.

-The medal is not awarded posthumously.

Source: Consulate General of France, Boston

Taylor's letter from the Consul General:

"With endless respect and affection, in recognition of your noble contribution during World War II and in remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives for the cause, a ceremony to bestow upon you the award of the "Legion d'Honneur" will take place at Byron's South End, Charlotte... In the hope of your being able to attend, I would like to thank you for the incredible service you rendered to my country and assure you of my deepest gratitude."

He met General Patton and boxer Joe Louis. He fought on the frontlines of skirmishes in France. He was in Normandy two days after D-Day. He interpreted aerial photographs of enemy territory, his job the difference between saving and losing hundreds of thousands of lives. He went sniper hunting — “It was a horrible thing to think about. You didn’t want to hurt them, but you didn’t want them to hurt you.” And he spent time in foxholes.

Today, Jim Taylor says it’s almost like a movie in his memory.

“It’s hard for me to believe it really happened,” he said. “I’m not a hero by any stretch of the imagination.”

The 93-year-old veteran who fought in World War II received the French Legion of Honor Medal on Nov. 11. The award, France’s highest honor, was established by Napoleon Bonaparte more than 200 years ago.

Drawing a picture lands a duty

Taylor, a Shelby resident, was part of the 83rd Infantry Division, Third Army. After his basic training at Fort Warren in Wyoming, Taylor went to Camp Atterbury in Indiana, where he took a special test that would determine his job in the military.

“It was an odd sort of test. It said ‘Draw a picture of a building,’” he said.

Taylor said he’s never been an artist, but saw a barracks outside through a window and decided to draw it. He made his drawing very detailed, counting the steps leading up to the barracks, the number of windows and doors.

“They chose me to be in the intelligence department,” he said. “I always figured it was because of that picture.”

Taylor’s job was interpreting aerial photography, a strategy the Allies were using that would prove an important factor in winning the war.

'One of the most important jobs'

Out of his entire division, Taylor was the only aerial photography interpreter. Reconnaissance planes would fly out over enemy territory, take photographs and return to division headquarters, where Taylor would pore over each one with a magnifying glass.

“A plane would fly in and leave me a big pile of photographs. It’d be in 3-D,” he said.

On each photo was stamped the altitude of the plane; from that, Taylor would calculate the size of vehicles, and tell whether they were tanks, personnel carriers or trucks.

“That was my job was to see what the enemy had in that area, so the commanding officers would know what was coming,” he said. “Being in division headquarters, I was able to see our commanding officer and his aides sit down and plot the moves the division would make. It was interesting to see how it was done.”

The general in charge of their division, General Patton, would visit headquarters from time to time.

“I used to see him when he’d come down and visit. He told me one time, ‘You have one of the most important jobs in this division. If you make a mistake, hundreds of thousands of lives could be lost. If you get it right, hundreds of thousands of lives could be saved,’” said Taylor.

'I enjoyed the Army but I hated the war'

Though his job was at headquarters, Taylor wasn’t always out of danger.

“A few times, I had to go into enemy territory at night,” he said.

He was told if he got caught, the Germans would consider him a spy.

“They’d get what they could out of you and shoot you,” he said.

Taylor never saw the end of the war in Europe, since he was wounded in Luxembourg. He rode a train to a hospital in Paris, and on the journey, met two other Shelby residents.

One man told him, "I'm from a little town called Shelby." Taylor responded, "The heck you are!" As it turned out, the two were even from the same street: South Martin.

The train ride was terrible, Taylor said, "but we’d been through a lot worse than that."

His summary of the experience?

“I enjoyed the Army, but I hated the war,” he said.

'He is a hero'

Despite the horror, Taylor said the French people's appreciation was rewarding.

“We’d be going through those little French towns, liberating them,” he said. “They would line the streets, throwing flowers, blowing kisses. Sometimes a French girl would come up and kiss you.”

That was one of his favorite parts.

For his service during World War II, Taylor has been honored with numerous medals. He received the Sharp Shooter Badge with the Carbine Rifle Bar, a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Bronze Stars, a World War II Victory Medal, an American Campaign Medal, and a Good Conduct Medal.

The French Legion Award, he said, was unexpected.

“When I got the letter that I was gonna be awarded, I was stunned by it,” he said.

Taylor said he isn’t a hero, that the medal is more than he deserves.

“Of the thousands of soldiers that fought in World War II, for me to be one of the ones that was selected, it was very humbling,” he said.

At Monday’s ceremony, he was impressed with the sincerity of Denis Barbet, France's Consul General from Atlanta, Ga.

“The French are very expressive. He could’ve just sent somebody from his office, but for the consul to come, I was impressed,” said Taylor.

Alice Harrill said the French Legion of Honor Medal is a way to keep alive the memory of what Americans like her father did to help liberate France.

“I am so proud my dad was recognized for his part to restore freedom in that region of the world,” Harrill said. “Although he doesn’t admit this—he is a hero.”

What is the French Legion of Honor Medal?

-It is France’s highest distinction.

-It was created by Napoleon Bonaparte to honor extraordinary contributions to the country of France.

-Only a small number of medals are awarded each year in the U.S.

-Those selected are appointed to the rank of Knight of the Legion of Honor.

-The medal is not awarded posthumously.

Source: Consulate General of France, Boston

Taylor's letter from the Consul General:

"With endless respect and affection, in recognition of your noble contribution during World War II and in remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives for the cause, a ceremony to bestow upon you the award of the "Legion d'Honneur" will take place at Byron's South End, Charlotte... In the hope of your being able to attend, I would like to thank you for the incredible service you rendered to my country and assure you of my deepest gratitude."